The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra controller is anything but stealthy, cramming in an absurd number of features that aim to translate into a better gaming experience. With its built-in screen, lighting, remappable buttons, charging dock, and plenty more, there’s a lot going on. But is it any good? This is my review.
Connected in the best way
Right out of the gate, it’s good to see the Stealth Ultra is officially supported by Xbox, as well as PC, meaning Xbox Series players can enjoy low-latency wireless without having to worry about compatibility. The Stealth Ultra also boasts Bluetooth, which I made use of with my iPad and LG TV.
When it’s charged up and powered on, the first thing users will notice about the Stealth Ultra is the Connected Command Display, a small color screen that can be used to quickly tweak settings. While I don’t really tweak controller settings too much, often remapping buttons just the one time, I’m sure others will find value in setting up profiles, adjusting sensitivities, tuning triggers, and mapping buttons easily using the screen.
A host of premium features
Moving on from the screen, the Stealth Ultra boasts a number of premium features. The buttons use microswitches, which are a great upgrade over the usual mushy ones, and the Hall Effect analog sticks aim to reduce the feared “stick drift.” Trigger stops, which I personally think are a game-changer for first-person shooters, are also implemented in this pad. Then there’s the charging dock, which is a neat touch and means users will always come back to a fully recharged controller.
In games, the Stealth Ultra works great, especially in first-person shooters where the responsive sticks, buttons, and triggers combine to give a notable advantage.
The battery life problem
The Stealth Ultra’s abundance of features is both a blessing and a curse. While they are all useful — some a lot more than others for me personally — they do appear to cut into overall longevity. While the charging dock means the controller is always at 100% battery when you start playing, it depletes rather quickly, relative to the other controllers I use.
Disclosure: Review sample provided by Turtle Beach.
Final Verdict
With an RRP of $219.99 – but currently discounted to $149.99 – Turtle Beach’s Stealth Ultra is a premium-priced controller that boasts the features to potentially justify the price tag. For those who can see themselves making use of its wide range of customization options and extra hardware features, it offers a polished, high-performance experience, particularly in fast-paced games. That said, its feature-heavy design does come with some compromises, making it a controller that will appeal most to players who value functionality and flexibility over simplicity and long-term battery life.
Positives and Negatives
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Extensive customization and feature set
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Responsive microswitch buttons
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Hall Effect analog sticks
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Low-latency Xbox wireless support
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Convenient charging dock included
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Battery life drains quicker
